Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for October 14th, AM.
Updated to modern English by Power to Change.

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8)

Spiritual knowledge of Jesus is personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person. No, I must know Him personally.

This knowledge will be an intelligent knowledge. I must know Him, not as I’d sometimes selfishly imagine Him to be, but as the Word reveals Him. I must know His natures, at once fully divine and fully human. I must know His presence, His characteristics, His works, His shame, and His glory. I must meditate on Him until I fully understand Him from all angles, and most importantly until I know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge. (Ephesians 3:19)

It will be an affectionate knowledge. If I know Him at all, I simply must love Him, and an ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning.

It will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Savior, my mind will be full. I will feel that I have everything that my soul thirsts for, and when we eats this bread we will never hunger again. (Revelation 7:16)

At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge. The more I know of my Beloved, the more I will yearn to know. The higher I climb, the loftier will be the heights which invite my eager footsteps.

Finally, this knowledge of Jesus will happy knowledge. In fact, it will be so reassuring, that it will help us through trials, doubts, and sorrows. It will help us become something so much more than “Mortals, born of woman,” who “are of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1, TNIV) It will guard us in the winsome presence and the joy of the eternal, merciful Savior.

Come, my friends, sit at Jesus’s feet and learn from Him all He has to teach you today.

Question: How is your knowledge (of all kinds) of Christ increasing daily?

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere” James 3:17

“Donkeys laden with books,” a phrase in rabbinical literature, is descriptive of those who know much but still remain fools.

Another expression says that “knowledge is power.” True, but how is the knowledge used – beneficially or malevolently? That is a vitally important question. We have more knowledge than ever before, but a few would claim that we have more wisdom.

Going faster and faster, we may be still going astray. Just as grapes are not picked from a bramble bush, neither can the good life be harvested from sowing wild oats.

For a nation of people, many of whom are “educated beyond their intelligence,” as an anonymous wit once observed, America sorely lacks a sufficiency of men with real wisdom – that which is given by the Lord Himself.

In our modern education, we seem to be preoccupied with the accumulation of knowledge, to the neglect of that wisdom which alone can save us from the misuse of knowledge.

William Lyon Phelps, famous English professor at Yale University and a godly statesman, once said, “If I could choose between a knowledge of the Bible and a college education, I would readily choose the knowledge of the Bible.”

If we lack wisdom, God’s wisdom, we need only ask of Him and He will grant it when we ask in faith, according to His promise in James 1:5.

Bible Reading: James 3:13-18

Today’s Action Point:
In order to live a supernatural life I’ll look for divine wisdom from the proper source – God, His Word, and His indwelling Holy Spirit.

“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other.” (Colossians 3:16a NLT)

Mission — Every day you teach people about God. You may teach Truth or you may teach mythology; either way you teach. You teach others that God is faithful or that he can’t be trusted, and you do that by reflecting faith in God, or by behaving as if he can’t be trusted.

As if.

Some of us carry a myth in our minds that the only people who can teach are the gifted or the professional, yet the Apostle Paul says, “I know that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to teach each other.” (Romans 15:14b NCV)

Certainly teaching includes unpacking Bible stories and giving theological insight, but we also teach as we model biblical behavior when it comes to the stuff of life, such as how to love/respect your spouse, how to make godly decisions, how to keep our thought-life pure, or how to get out of debt.

That means we become teachers when we tell, show, reflect how God is working in our lives, and we become teachers when we respond, act, walk as if Jesus himself were living through us (and he is – Romans 8:9-11). By watching you, others will see what “Christ in you” looks like in another human being. (Colossians 1:27 NIV)

So what?

· Being a living teacher makes you wise – Paul says, “Let the words of Christ live in your heart.” You need to know God’s Word before you can teach it through study or by living it. By hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the words of Christ, they’ll take root in your heart, and this will make you wise. (Romans 15:14b NCV)

· God’s wisdom over conventional wisdom – Too often we look to the world’s conventional wisdom when we’re seeking answers, yet the Truth is found only in God’s wisdom.

Question: What wisdom has the Lord blessed you with that you can share with others?

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

I love the Bible. It’s God’s Word, our ultimate source of truth. It contains not only the grand story of the beginning of time and space and our Earth, but also the intimate story of God’s people, and the glorious coming of God’s Son Jesus Christ for our salvation.

But even so, I find that there are times in my life when my daily Bible reading becomes merely routine, if I happen to do it at all. In fact, sometimes I wonder about the Bible: Couldn’t God have given us a more efficient manual? What I mean is, it sometimes seems so complicated. Did you know that the Bible has 66 books, containing 1,189 chapters and 31,170 verses? Instead of 17 major and minor prophets, for example, maybe we could have been given a list of the top 10 marriage tips instead?

Then I think: God didn’t want to give us the kind of book that you read once and put on the shelf. He wasn’t interested in giving us a pamphlet. God wanted to give us something that would engage us and continue to challenge us for a lifetime. He, in His infinite wisdom, gave us a book that was so deep that we could read it every hour of every day of our entire lives and still not exhaust its wisdom.

If you’ve spent any serious amount of time reading the Bible you can probably attest to how you’ve read a passage a dozen or more times before, but somehow this time, it hits you in a totally new way as God illuminates your mind to deeper meaning and fuller understanding. “How did I not see it before?” you think. And it’s so amazing how deep this book is!

God Himself is like that: Our great God isn’t someone of whom you could say, “Oh, God? Yeah, I met him once, I think.” God is so amazingly great that it’s a lifelong process to know Him. He wants us not to just know ABOUT Him, but to know Him intimately. And for that, a simple pamphlet won’t do.

God, we thank you for your Word, the wisdom of which can never be exhausted!

Question: How has your Bible reading been lately? Is it time to begin to re-read it with “new eyes”?

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”” Matthew 16:24

What does it mean to deny myself?

The primary thing that springs to mind is the idea of doing without things desired – a picture of a monk leading a strict and harsh life, far from luxury.

Although the concept of doing without is found in the dictionary under “deny”, the first definition under “deny” is “to declare untrue”. Of course the dictionary was referring to denying a statement, but I began to wonder if it might apply to denying oneself.

If I declared myself as being untrue, I would point to someone or something outside myself as the ultimate source of truth – it could not be found in me.

If I declared myself as being untrue, I wouldn’t trust my feelings or my interpretation of the facts.

If I declared myself as being untrue, I would admit that I am not right, that my ways are not right, that I indeed have a sinful nature that desires what is contrary to what God desires.

Is that not what Jesus is asking us to do? We must acknowledge Him as the only true one. God’s ways are always right.

We are called to choose His way rather than our own, to surrender our will to Him and to follow Him where ever He leads.

Question: What does the idea of “declaring yourself untrue” mean to you and your approach to God?

Please open your Bible and read Psalm 8.

When we stop and think about the majestic God who created us, and meditate on who this God is, does it fill us with an amazed sense of awe? Or, as the title of a famous book says, is our conception of God “too small”?

Nicky Gumbel gives us a pertinent illustration. There once was a child sitting at the table drawing a picture. Her mother asked her what she was doing. She replied, “I’m drawing a picture of God.” Her mother said, “Don’t be silly, no one knows what God looks like.” The child thought for a moment, then replied, “Well, they will know by the time I’ve finished!”

We do this, don’t we? We come up with our own conception of how we think God is. Although we are actually made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), we often want to try to suggest the opposite: We try to remake God in OUR own image. We futilely try to make God fit into our preconceived notions of how He “should” be.

But when we decide what God is like based on our own preconceptions, what we end up with is a “god” that is just like me. We end up with a tame god. A “god” that never disagrees with me, never challenges me to excel, never tells me that I’m wrong. But this is also a god who is “too small” … lifeless, powerless, and totally unlike the God we know from the Bible! This tame God is not the one who created you and I and the heavens and the Earth.

Even lifelong Christians can become complacent in their ideas about what God is like. For example, I have encountered God, but am I encountering God? God is greater, grander, more amazing than we will ever fully comprehend. R. C. Sproul writes that “People are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”

The question is: Are you encountering God or admiring yourself? Have you been seeking to know who God really is? Or have you been admiring yourself in the mirror?

Can you pray along with the Psalmist, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9) and ask Him to show you a small glimpse of His greatness today as you seek to encounter Him?

Question: Have you been encountering God or admiring yourself?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for May 8th, PM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2011.

“Acquaint now thyself with Him.” Job 22:21, KJV

If we want to properly “acquaint ourselves with God, and be at peace,” we must know Him as He has revealed Himself, not only in the unity of His essence and provision, but also in the plurality of His persons, the Trinity. God said, “Let us make man in our own image.” (Genesis 1:26, KJV) Let a person be discontent until he knows something about the “us” from whom their existence was derived.

Endeavor to know the Father. Bury your head in Him, in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worthy to be called His son. Receive the kiss of His love. Let the ring which is the token of His eternal faithfulness be on your finger. Sit at His table and let your heart be merry in His grace.

Then press forward and seek to know the Son of God who is the brightness of His Father’s glory, and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace became man for our sakes. Know Him in the singular complexity of His nature. He is eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man. Follow Him as He walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as He sits upon the well in the weariness of humanity. Be not satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Lord, your Friend, your Brother, your all.

And do not neglect the Holy Spirit. Endeavor to obtain a clear view of His nature and character, His attributes, and His works. Behold that Spirit of the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos, and brought forth order. He now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the order of holiness. Behold Him as the Lord and giver of spiritual life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. Behold Him as, like holy anointing, He descends upon the head of Jesus, and then afterwards rests upon you who are as the tassels of His garments.

Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity in Unity is yours if you truly know God. And such knowledge brings peace indeed!

Questions: What aspects of the Trinity, God’s triune nature, do you find most comforting? Most confusing?

Human beings have an innate desire for knowledge. Not merely information; we are bombarded with enough of that every day. Research at the University of California, San Diego found that “In 2008, Americans consumed information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day.” (UCSD) But you can have all the information in the world and be left with as many questions and as few answers as you started with.

If you have felt like you’re merely existing lately, but not truly living, maybe you’ve been asking the wrong questions. If you’re interested in hearing some thoughts on 10 Spiritual Questions and Their Answers from a best-selling author (30-million+ books sold) check out the article. Or send us your thoughtful questions and you’ll receive a reply from a mentor … maybe even with some thoughtful questions for you!

Related reading:
Is it Possible? – Could it be that God has been at work in your life all along?

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40-42)

It never stops–the vicious cycle of doing things. Running errands, cleaning the house, picking up the kids, putting in extra time on your project at work, studying for another big test. You just keep going and going with no end in sight.

It can even become a pattern in your church life. Helping with prayer meeting, keeping the nursery, teaching Sunday school, visiting the shut-ins, calling last week’s visitors. It goes on and on and on until you’re spending all this time working for the Lord but you’re not spending time on what He desires from you most: your fellowship.

John wanted to share the good news of Christ so others would come to know Him and fellowship with Him. (1 John 1:3, 6) He knew what the most needful thing in his life was.

We need to remember that as well. Mary knew it was better to sit at the feet of Jesus, loving Him and sharing with Him, rather than preparing a five-course dinner like Martha.

To know Him more intimately, we must spend time with Him. Out of this closer relationship, our love for Him grows and we desire to serve Him more.

When Jesus becomes our sole focus, nothing can shake us. If we make fellowship with Him a priority, He will make Himself known to us like we’ve never known Him before.

Questions: Do you typically see yourself as being a “Mary” person or “Martha” person? How can you embrace your nature while at the same time working to appreciate the “other side”?

“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

The classic hymn “It Is Well” begins with these famous lyrics:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Have you heard the story of the man who wrote it? The author, Horatio G. Spafford, was a lawyer whose first major test of his faith came in 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire ruined him financially, destroying most of his real estate investments. Two years later, when his family had finally pieced their lives back together, he decided to take his wife and four daughters on a vacation. However, at the last minute, Stafford was called back on business, so his wife and children went ahead on the ship. A short time later, the ship sank, killing all four of his daughters; only his wife survived. After hearing the tragic news and setting out to travel to meet his grieving wife, Stafford penned the classic hymn.

How was Stafford able to write “It is well, it is well with my soul” despite the tragedy he experienced? And how can we remain faithful to God’s truth even in desperate times when we feel far from Him? The few short words of God in Psalm 46:10 will help us understand.

First God says to “be still.” In other words, don’t panic!

Sure, you may be thinking, that’s easy enough to say, but quite tough to do when it feels like your world has been turned upside down.

That’s why God told us to “know that I am God.”

Note carefully what God did NOT say. He did not say “Be still, and FEEL that I am God.” He said “Be still, and KNOW that I am God.” Regardless of how we may feel, if we know that God is there, and that His Word is true, we will be able to have confidence in Him and praise Him, regardless of our temporary feelings.

This doesn’t mean that feelings should be ignored or marginalized. But it does suggest that feelings are fleeting and uncertain, while God’s promises are everlasting and certain. Therefore we must try to pray and trust based on what we know in times of tragedy rather than primarily on how we feel.

If today you are feeling “peace, like a river”, thank God and increase in knowledge so that you will prepare yourself for times of trouble.

And if you are instead at a time “when sorrows like sea billows roll” don’t focus on your temporary feelings, but focus instead on the knowledge that God loves you, Jesus died for you, and, like Paul said as he suffered in prison, “I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” (1 Timothy 1:12, NLT)

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Question: What knowledge (truths about or promises from God) do you, or will you, cling to in your darkest hour?